Portage County, WI
These figures come from wells tested in Portage County, WI, not from any one well.
- Iron, manganese and sulfate are not common in wells in Portage County, WI (2 of 27, 2 of 27 and 0 of 109 tested wells were over). Only a test tells you about your own well.
- Wells in Portage County, WI are typically hard (121 wells tested).
- Only a test of your own well tells you about your water.
What to test for
Start with the four this site covers:
- iron
- manganese
- hardness
- sulfate
Most well owners also test for these. We point to the source and don't interpret the results.
- arsenic: occurs naturally in groundwater in many regions. USGS: arsenic and drinking water
- nitrate: common near farmland and septic systems. EPA: private drinking water wells
- total coliform bacteria: the standard yearly well check. EPA: private drinking water wells
- lead and copper: from household plumbing, especially when pH is below 6.5. EPA: lead in drinking water
- PFAS: several states run private-well sampling programs. EPA: PFAS
- a certified lab: states certify labs and some run their own private-well programs. Wisconsin's certified-lab list (from your state drinking-water program)
The numbers
County figures describe the wells sampled there, not any one well. Exact counts, sample years and sources are below.
Iron Recent
| Level it's compared with | 0.3 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 7.4% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 2 of 27 |
| Median | 0.0038 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1945–2024 |
| Wells | 27 |
| Test results | 575 |
| Wells left out | 8 |
| Sources | USGS (121) |
Manganese Recent
| Level it's compared with | 0.05 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 7.4% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 2 of 27 |
| Median | 0.0004 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1945–2024 |
| Wells | 27 |
| Test results | 383 |
| Wells left out | 8 |
| Sources | USGS (102) |
Hardness Recent
| Level it's compared with | none; hardness is shown in bands |
|---|---|
| Share of wells very hard | 41% |
| Median | 150 mg/L as CaCO₃ |
| Years sampled | 1945–2024 |
| Wells | 121 |
| Test results | 451 |
| Wells left out | 8 |
| Sources | USGS (121) |
Sulfate Recent
| Level it's compared with | 250 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 0.0% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 0 of 109 |
| Median | 10.34 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1945–2024 |
| Wells | 109 |
| Test results | 438 |
| Wells left out | 8 |
| Sources | USGS (109) |